After Breaking Dawn Saga :: Aro's Obsession ::
by Nina Velvet
Summary: After B.Dawn Saga :: Aro's Obsession :: The saga continues weeks after the Volturi leave Forks. Aro's obsession with the Cullens will not be forgotten, and he puts his contingency plan into action. Told from Kate and Bella's POV, romance & adventure
1. Chapter 1

_***Right after Breaking Dawn*** Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong entirely to Stephanie Meyers ! ***_

**KATE**

It all ended so quickly that it seemed finished as quickly as it began.  
The Volturi's visit to Forks had been swift and cunning, and their presence still hung in the air with a heaviness that would not leave the forefront of my memory anytime soon. Of this I was certain.

I glanced over to the Cullen residence and watched as the rest of the guests begin to settle inside.  
Carlisle and Esme appeared to be as soft and unruffled as always, smiling and chatting with the odd assortment of guests that remained in their living room. I strained my ears to listen. Carlisle was chatting in – what sounded like Gaelic - to a young man that came from Ireland with Siobhan. Yes, it must have been Gaelic. They laughed and their intensity lessened. Alice relaxed into the familiar role of the gracious host, as she fluttered between guests and ensured that the music was the perfect blend of soft and relaxing, and that the volume was appropriate. Only Alice would fret over music selections after what we had all just experienced. I thought momentarily about Alice as a human. She must have been a very social creature in her human past; she was intuitively skilled at entertaining and creating lavish surroundings, and others seemed to gravitate towards her and her never-ending will to create the perfect atmosphere. Her mate Jasper followed her every move with his eyes. He smiled quietly to himself as he watched her dance thought the guests.

Alice and Jasper were quite the pair that way. She worked in the physical realm creating harmony, while Jasper worked in the emotional one. I could see how they were so drawn to one another. They were indeed a perfect pairing. My eyes unexpectedly drifted over to the large rogue that sat alone on the back steps of the Cullen manor.

Laughter pierced my thoughts. The dense memories of the event seemed to lift for the Cullens and I felt a twinge of contempt at their ability to celebrate at a time like this. The Cullens had always been able to make light of the most pressing situations, and my disdain was quickly pushed away as I remembered the events in all their clarity. I felt a wave of sadness wash over me.

_Irina._

My eyes flitted over the trees to the smoke that was still slowly rising above the woodlands. It was lighter now; the smoke; but still thick enough to curl into perfect circles at the ends just before it disappeared. I breathed out the air in my lungs in an attempt to let go of the anguish I felt. My knees felt suddenly soft and I had to resist the desire to fall to the ground. It was hard to imagine that she was no longer with us. We were so sure in our immortality and the long life that we had together as sisters that I had never once fathomed life without her. She was my kin, my kindred spirit, and our protector in many ways. She lived in the human world as well as any of the Cullens, and had always been there to guide Tanya and me when we had trouble controlling our desires. I wondered how we could ever adjust to life without our eldest sister.

Eleazar, Carmen and Tanya left the Cullen's just moments after the Volturi's abrupt departure. They couldn't bear to be around the others, and quickly said her goodbyes to Carlisle and Esme. Tanya only stopped to nod quickly to the others from a distance, and then she turned towards the north and headed straight to Denali. I understood her actions immediately. The Cullens were like family to us, but Edward had always held a special place in my sister's heart. I was sure that seeing Edward so closely connected to his bride Bella would do nothing to lessen Tanya's heartache over our sister. She needed to be alone with her thoughts. Tanya was so always so collected and calculated. She whispered to me as she left, "Kate I will see you at home. I will run ahead and make the preparations for the….," she stuttered, "the … funeral."  
With a silent nod I let her go on her own.

A funeral had never crossed my mind. Tanya did a better job of blending into the human world than I did. It was a trait she inherited after living for so many years with Irina. I imagined it was only an excuse though, to leave quickly and quietly as soon as the danger was over.

I entered the house to say my farewells to the Cullen family.  
Edward was sitting pensively on the couch, watching while Bella cradled their daughter Renesmee in her arms. She smiled down at her daughter while Renesmee put her hand up to her mother's cheek. Bella and Edward laughed in tune, while Renesmee cooed and hid her face in Bella's chest. What a talented family indeed. It was no surprise that Aro coveted them. Renesmee was the first halfling born in many generations, and to have so many gifts between them – well, it was remarkable that the Volturi left at all. Edward read his daughters thoughts while she projected them to Bella… I wondered if she could project to both of them at the same time. I dismissed the thought because with Edward's ability to read her thoughts, it would never have been necessary to begin with. It was like they spoke with the eyes and heard with their hearts, and my thoughts drifted for a fleeting moment to Garret. I was thankful that there would be no mind reading between Garrett and I, as I was taken aback by my own musings of a possible pairing between us. Something that I had looked for for so long….

Bella's voice drew me back to the Cullen triangle, and she searched my face as she asked "Will you be staying this evening, Kate?" I politely shook my head and my thoughts went to Irina. Edward nodded in silent understanding and the Cullens turned their attention to me as I said my goodbyes. Any feelings of resentment that I could have had towards them were quickly overshadowed by their affectionate warmth and genuine concern. Carlisle and Esme looked on in worry, and Esme reminded me twice that I was always welcome at their home, at any time. I saw the pain in their faces as Carlisle whispered, "We will always miss Irina so very much. She was a true friend."

I was relieved to have this caring family by my side as I grieved my sister, and their concern made me feel less alone; less frightened. I saw Garrett look at us though the window. He had a curious expression on his face, one eyebrow slightly peaked, and he watched us closely as I hugged Esme for the last time. No sooner had I noticed Garrett's watchful stare did I notice Edward's face turn to look at Garrett on the step. He extended his hand to the rogue and said, "Thank you for helping Kate." I didn't have the time to wonder what Garrett had helped me with, because Edward turned to me with a half smiled and smirked, "Have a nice trip home Kate. I think it's wonderful that you will not be travelling alone."

A feeling of anticipation warmed my mind; Garrett – the rogue – was accompanying me home.

I smiled a last goodbye to the Cullens, and I drifted over to Garrett. I remembered his joking laughter as he said, "I'll follow you anywhere, woman." Anticipation washed over me as I realized that he really was going to follow me home. Was it possible that I had made such an impact on him in a few days? He did seem interested in our alternative lifestyle. Was it my electric "gift"? Did he want to keep me safe? If I had a heartbeat, I am sure it would have skipped a little bit quicker at the thought.

"As long as the lady accepts the offer," Garrett smiled as he nodded at me, and then quietly added, "Carlisle asked me to accompany you to Denali."

"Oh – um - well…" I stammered, "That would be very kind of you Garrett."

Instinctively I looked down. What a fool I had been to assume that it was Garrett's idea to accompany me home. I had let my heart get ahead of my head yet again, and foolishly thought that perhaps this time, _this time_, I might have met someone that felt as connected to me as I did to them. As we made our way down the long driveway, I made sure to smile at Garrett so my disappointed thoughts would not be obvious in my expression.

We walked slowly, almost deliberately towards the north. Neither one of us spoke for many long hours. His movements were slow; deliberate, and there was something untamed about his mannerisms even though he appeared to be very aware of every step he took. It was Garrett that finally broke the silence.  
"I will need to feed tonight."

I nodded and realized the implications of our strange union. My ideal hunting ground would be less than ideal for Garrett, and vice-versa. It had been years since I had been tempted by the smell of humans while I was feeding. It was a complicated thing when my family fed in Denali. We desperately tried to quench the burning thirst, but, rather than quench it, we really only wet our lips. Our desire for human blood was controllable, as we had proven for almost a century, but we all knew that it was not safe for us to tempt fate while we were in hunting mode. In order to successfully live within the mortal world we learned to switch back and forth between our two modes of life. We were either living, or we were feeding. The two realms of our existence did not coexist because it was far too dangerous to be tempted during the frenzy that was hunting. I sighed at Garrett and was about to suggest splitting up for the night when he interrupted my internal monologue, "I would like to try it your way."

My eyes widened as I met his gaze. I was relieved that I would remain in the forest and there would be no Seattle for me this evening.

"And how do you do that? ¨"

I paused – confused.

Cocking my head to convey my confusion he smiled in wonder and continued, "There. You did it again. How do you appear to be so _human_?"

I laughed, "I don't even realize that I am doing it. Decades of practice I guess. It really is second nature to me now. It's part of our lifestyle."

He copied me slowly and turned his head to the side. His disheveled sandy blonde hair was mostly tied back into a ponytail, and when a lock of hair fell forwards into his eyes he did his best attempt to gracefully push his hair behind his ear. His movements were far too rough to pass for human, but we both laughed aloud at his attempt.

Suddenly, his eyes deepened. The game was over and his movements became jagged and jolting. He tilted his head back in an accelerated motion and his mouth fell open, as if he were tasting the air with his breath. He paused for a second, perfectly still.

A breeze came from the north and his eyes darted as he caught a scent in the wind. His eyes were dark; too dark, and I knew that he was hungry. In a flash he was gone, slightly east, slightly north…. I breathed in deeply as I tracked his scent as long as I could. I lost him briefly but I knew which direction he headed towards as soon as I detected the sweet smell of our natural prey wafting through the treetops. I winced as the burning in my throat intensified. I imagined Garrett tasting the forbidden blood and the fire inside my mind began to swell. I was sure that had found his destination when the mouthwatering scent intensified. He was feeding. I curled my fingers into fists and my head went back as instinct took control. I had forgotten how potent the scent was when a vampire was… the thought was intolerable. It took every ounce of control I had to not sprint to Garrett and indulge my impulses.

_Focus Kate. Focus. _

I drove the warm ambrosial thoughts out of my mind and I held my breath. I would hunt for a bear later, or maybe, if I were lucky, I would find a lynx. After one last pause to look east towards the handsome rogue, I drew a deep breath that I would hold for hours as I pushed north towards Denali.

…..

It was 5 hours later when Garrett finally caught up to me. The full moon was hanging high in the sky, and the forest seemed alive as we walked silently through the trees. I was used to the silence of the forest around me, and it calmed me as I walked.  
Garrett remained silent as his stride fell in step with my own. We continued this way for a few minutes before I finally stopped to look at him.  
His bright crimson eyes looked over my body, and then up to my face. He stopped at my eyes and his gaze was so intent that it made me feel like he might possibly be able to see into my soul. I felt strangely exposed and I was suddenly at a loss for words.  
His gaze was uninhibited, and I was taken for a moment with the way the moonlight highlighted his strong features. He really was stunning in the moonlight. He had a chiseled face, with deep set eyes and full lips that were parted ever so slightly. He was strong and confident, and held his head high as he took a step towards me.

"I'm sorry if that was uncomfortable for you."

He waited.

"Garrett, I think it's better if we travel alone."

He waited.

"It's too hard for me to know what you are doing while and to remain in control."

His eyes narrowed, "The hunger doesn't go away?"

I shook my head, "It subsides. We learn to ignore it. But when others around us are feeding, it makes it almost impossible not to slip," my voice softened, "and I cannot go back."

He watched me intently as I spoke.

"I didn't know that it would be like that for you," his eyes softened as he moved towards me, "Kate, I apologize. I did not mean to vex you, and I would like to try your way."

"To vex me?" I teased Garrett mercilessly, "You really haven't spent much time with mortals in the last century, have you?"

He paused, and his voice grew soft, "I haven't spent time with anyone in a really long time."

My breathing quickened as the mesmerizing rogue started to circle me. He knees were bent slightly, and his head was tilted playfully to the side. He reminded me of a panther as he walked; sleek, muscular and strong. His eyes were on fire and he got closer with every step.  
I tried to remember the last time I had felt this way. I thought back through the many years and I panicked as I realized that I had never felt quite like this. Garrett had a raw energy that was unique to only him. I thought about my solitary life, and how I had yearned for so long to meet my mate. He was closing in on me, and I froze in anticipation.

He smiled wickedly at me and put his hand behind my neck. He pulled me towards him and he kissed the side of my neck softly. "How," he whispered into my ear, "can I follow you anywhere, if you insist that we travel alone."

His lips moved down my neck and over my collarbone as he continued, "I am a man of my word Katrina Denali."

The forest was electrified as wind spiraled through the trees and over my skin where his kiss had been. I felt him begin to pull my lips towards his, when the scent came crashing in and temporarily blinded all passion. I pulled back as my throat began to burn and the thirst quickly heightened. "Garrett," I breathed, "I can smell it in your breath; on your lips," and in a flash the memory of almost losing control caused my eyes to open in horror and all I could see was my life in Denali crumbling all around me. My hands pushed him away and I watched as Garrett winced in pain.

His eyes quickly cooled and he grimaced  
"What was that for?" he growled.  
"Self preservation?" I asked. I hadn't meant to use my gift on Garrett. It all happened so quickly, and the only thought that crossed my mind was the will to resist the temptation to feed.  
"Can you control it?" he asked cautiously.

"Under normal circumstances, yes."

He pondered the irony of our predicament and he began to laugh heartily. I relaxed as I heard his low voice and wonderfully warm laughter.

"Is that how you plan to tame me; you strange, beautiful creature?"  
His eyes lit up as he spoke and I wondered what they would look like if they were as amber as mine. He placed his large hand on my cheek and shook his head with a smirk, "Will you not allow me to try?" His breathing quickened and his hand moved over my once beating heart, "or does all desire fade with your _lifestyle_?"  
His eyes searched my face for an answer and I felt slightly annoyed by his question. Garret could be confident to the point of arrogance, so it seemed, and he quickly added, "It was a serious question."

My eyes locked on his and I realized that Garrett really had no idea.

I held my breath, and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "Our diet does not affect out appetite."

He looked relieved as he took my hand in his, "Shall we pick up the pace then?" He grinned at me devilishly and we walked hand in hand towards the north.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 : **BELLA**

It had been almost 2 weeks since the Volturi's departure and life in Forks seemed to slow down to a normal pace. I'm not entirely sure that I would call it _normal_, but no one was trying to annihilate us and so the sense of well-being that I felt was particularly blissful. I was at home with Alice and Jasper, and the rest of the family had gone to Alaska for the week to honor Irina and her family. It was difficult for me to let Edward and Renesmee out of my sight, but I surrendered when Charlie called to tell me that Renee had called and that she would be in town for a few days to visit us.

Phil had a game weekend close to Forks and then he had a few days off, so Renee thought it would be the perfect time to visit.

I hadn't seen her since my transformation and the idea of facing my mother for the first time was terrifying in its own right. At least she was coming to Forks so I wouldn't have to worry about the sun, and I had worked things out with Charlie and Sue so that there were many group activities planned over the two days.

I decided that that would be infinitely easier than one-on-one time alone with my mother. I loved her dearly, but she was far too intuitive and curious for me to spend too much time with her, as she was sure to pry and be left unsatisfied with my half-truth answers.

Alice and Jasper stayed at the Cullen residence while the others attended Irina's ceremony. They had spent so much time away from home before the Volturi's visit that Alice could not bear the idea of travelling again. She wanted to put the pieces of her life back together where they should be, and she explained that if she had to travel so soon after the encounter she couldn't really relax. All Alice wanted was to feel like things were the way they were meant to be, and to have a few days of peace in the Cullen home.

I imagine that she was emotionally and mentally exhausted, having pushed her gifts for so many weeks while trying to bend the future to her will. The burden of weighing the outcomes of her every action so carefully must have been taxing, and in the end it was her efforts that had saved my beautiful daughter from the Volturi. For that, I would be indebted to her forever.

I began to daydream about Edward and Renesmee. I was used to watching over them, as Renesmee experienced life each day. She was like a sponge, soaking up meaning and knowledge like I had never seen before. I was so proud of my little girl that it made me giddy when I thought of her. She looked so much like her father that I often watched them together in wonder. If DaVinci had titled a painting "The Perfection of Fatherhood", it would have certainly looked like Edward and Renesmee while they were together.

I smiled as my thoughts drifted to my perfect little cottage, with its quaint décor and cinnamon scented fireplace. The cinnamon potpourri was a touch that Edward had added later, while he explained that it reminded him of simpler times. Cinnamon had always reminded me of the holidays, and over a stone fireplace it was absolutely charming. My thoughts began to drift towards the bedroom as I recalled with perfect clarity the way that Edward's honey laced essence infused with the cinnamon in mere perfection.

"Bella!" Alice interrupted my daydream as she ran down the stairs and tossed a pair of white pants and a lavender cashmere sweater onto my lap. "We are going to be late! You need to get ready or we'll be late for your father's dinner party!"

I had almost forgotten. _Almost._ I didn't argue the clothing choice with Alice as it did seem to suit the occasion, and as we were running out the door Alice shoved a pair of dark chocolate contacts into my hands.  
She had a special talent to remember the smallest of details and I smiled in appreciation. I knew that brown contacts would be easier for Renee to swallow than ochre. I thanked Alice as we got into Edward's silver Volvo. Alice and Jasper had objected my car choice briefly, but they gave in quickly because tonight was not about fast cars. The objective of this evening was to appear to be the same Ísabella Swan that I was the last time I spent an evening hanging out with my mother. We all knew that unostentatious was the best way to keep up this appearance.

At Charlie's things seemed to go smoother than I had thought possible. Renee looked shocked when I entered, and then she commented, "Bella, married life suits you more than I would have imagined. It's a shame that your wonderful hubby couldn't join us this evening."

Jasper looked over and winked at me and I relaxed into a chair in the living room. Things were going to be fine with Renee, and during dinner I noticed her happiness with Phil like I never had before. She was so enthralled by Phil's every word that perhaps it was Phil's presence that made this first encounter so flawless. I smiled and thanked the stars for my wonderful life.

Alice shifted uncomfortably in her seat and her eyes began to stare into space.

Her eyes opened wide and then they shut. I had never seen Alice react this way to her visions before. Scanning the room I noticed that Charlie had noticed Alice's strange behavior, but Renee was oblivious as she laughed with Sue and Phil. Alice began to moan and Jasper and I looked at each other with worry. A slow murmur rose from her lips and we watched in dismay as small Alice began to convulse at the table. She pushed her arms out in front of her as if she was forcing an invisible opponent away and then she fell to the ground beside her chair. Jasper and I hurried to her side as quickly as we could without appearing inhuman and Jasper picked her up in his arms.  
"She hasn't had a seizure in years," he quickly fabricated, "Bella, let's get her to Carlisle at once."

"I thought Carlisle was away?" Renee asked, confused.

_Damn._ I thought quickly, "He just arrived as we were leaving and was too exhausted for dinner. Maybe you can see him tomorrow."

Alice moaned as we rushed her out to the silver Volvo parked in Charlie's driveway.

"What's happening to her Jasper?" I asked as soon as we were out of earshot.  
His eyebrows knit together in worry for his partner, "I'm not sure."  
He paused and I looked at him with fear, "What should we do Jasper?"  
We both pushed back the anxiety as we struggled to find clear options. Carlisle was in Denali, and Alice clearly needed his help. Her moan increased as she arched her back into the seats of the car.

"Drive !" Jasper hissed as he jumped into the backseat to comfort Alice.

I raced towards the north, not sure what to do or where to go. As I watched Alice in the rearview mirror I saw her eyes fluttering open and shut, as if she were desperately fighting to regain consciousness. Her breath hissed out of her lungs and her eyes instantly flew open. She screamed as if she could not see us, and then she whispered, "Denali. I'm not strong enough." Jasper pulled Alice towards him and he pleaded with her, "Please Alice, I'm here. What's wrong, what can I do?"

Her eyes glazed over and I was sure that she hadn't heard him. She seemed to be somewhere else; somewhere distant.

She fell silent and her breathing quickened. Her amber eyes went black as her breathing raced. I watched in horror as my favorite sister Alice stared off into space, panicking in terror. Her eyes began to cloud, and her entire eyes turned to a dark grey. There was no pupil; no white area; and her expressionless trance left her looking lifeless. I was terrified and I looked over to Jasper as he watched her. I could tell by his expression that he had never seen anything like this either. Alice whimpered and fell into a heap on the seat. Her eyes were still murky, and her breathing slowed to a standstill. She remained in her trance and Jasper shook her gently to try and snap her out of it. Nothing he did seemed to work.

"Alice!" Jasper wailed, "What is it ?"

There was no response from Alice except for her glazed stare.

I speed dialed Carlisle's cell. Jasper begged with his eyes for an answer. Carlisle's answering machine kicked in and my eyes darted to Jasper a he moved swiftly. He was calling Alaska Air before I hung up my cell. "Go to the airport" he instructed. Jasper had switched into military mode. His breathing was calm, his eyes cool and his voice unwavering, "We need to get to Carlisle _now_."

I nodded and slammed my foot on the gas. If there were any police cars along the way we would be outrunning them tonight.

* * *  
Before we boarded the plane I dialed Carlisle again. To my relief he answered this time, his voice warm and unaware, "Bella sweetheart ! You really should have come, we are having the most wonderful time at the party."

_The party ?_ I pushed the thought out of my mind to quickly explain what had happened to Alice.  
"So," I finished quietly, "We are on our way to Anchorage with Alice."

Carlisle paused and I heard him hum as if he was listening but not really interested.

I waited impatiently for him to offer his advice before I spoke, "Carlisle? Do you have any other ideas ?"

My throat tightened as I heard Carlisle joke to someone on the other end of the line about how wonderful the cocktails were and that they should really get together soon. He seemed so distant, and I couldn't understand why he wasn't planning our next moves carefully. It was painfully obvious to us that Alice needed to see Carlisle immediately, but somehow Carlisle was missing the point completely. His voice was strangely elated when he spoke to me again, "Bella darling, what was that you were saying again ?"

"A –Alice…."I stammered in disbelief, "Carlisle she _needs_ your help."

"Oh right, _that_," Carlisle chimed as if we were talking about the news, "Well I'm sure she will be fine. That silly girl always gets herself into the strangest of predicaments."

I looked at the screen on my flip phone to make sure that I had the right number, and an uneasy feeling filled my mind because I was certain that the voice on the other end belonged to Carlisle. But this was not the always caring, always ready-to-offer-a-wise-alternative Carlisle that I had grown to love over the last few years. I heard a woman's laughter through the phone and a voice that I didn't recognize interrupted our silence, "Carlisle love, hurry now. You know how impatient I am when you are ignoring me."

Jasper listened to every word and we stared at each other in shock.  
The alluring voice purred through the speaker again, "Really Carlisle, it can't be that important."

My jaw dropped and I asked, "Where's Esme, Carlisle?"

It was like he forgot I was on the phone and he answered the strange voice, "Kolfinna dear, don't even think about sneaking off without me."

_Kolfinna ? _

My mind raced and I couldn't comprehend what was going on. Carlisle was the backbone of the Cullen family. He was the one to bring clarity and reason to every situation, and the one to count on in times like these. I looked at poor Alice as she slumped over Jasper's shoulder. I thought about my family, and Esme's sure devastation if Carlisle was really there with this mystery woman. Was it even possible ? Esme and Carlisle were inseparable. They were matched long ago; mated for life. I shook my head in an effort to will my brain into clarity. I scrambled to put the strange puzzle pieces together. One thought flashed through my mind as the lump in my throat pressed upwards.  
"Carlisle?" I asked quietly, "Where is Edward?"

"Bella, Bella," he sounded amused, "How you worry your inane little head to pieces. Edward is wonderful. He's never been happier. Kolfinna is so very hospitable."

"Where is Renesmee?" my voice broke as I could barely speak.

He continued, "Oh I almost forgot to tell you. We've decided to stay here for awhile longer. We are having the most wonderful time with the Denalis and their friends."

"Carlisle," my voice rose, "Where is my daughter?"

I heard only a giggle from the phone and Carlisle sounded slightly annoyed at me this time, "Bella I really have to go. You know I love you tons my sweet Bella. Get a good night's rest, I'm sure you will feel better in the morning."

Click.

My cell phone beeped to confirm that Carlisle had hung up on me.  
My mind swooned as anxiety flooded my senses. What was going on ? Carlisle knows better than anyone that I don't _need _a good night's rest ! I let out a low growl and I wanted to run to Edward and Renesmee. I looked at Jasper's eyes as they stared back mirroring my own confusion and fear.

_Think Bella, Think._

I quickly dialed Edward's cell phone and it rang twice. A soft, dreamlike voice answered, "Hello ?"

I was dumbfounded as this female's voice was certainly not my husband's. I couldn't find the words to ask where Edward was. Jasper pulled the phone from my hands in anger, "Who is this? Where is Edward Cullen?"

I listened from a distance as the pixie-like voice whispered through the wireless network, "Edward Cullen is with me." There was a pause, then a giggle, "and I am with him. He's very occupied right now."

I cringed at the mental image that her magnetic voice conjured and Jasper snarled into the phone, "Who is this? Where is Renesmee Cullen?"  
Like a petal the voice drifted slowly into the receiver, "She is being taken care of. I must go now."

"Wait!" Jasper's voice was cut off as my cell phone beeped again as the line cut to silence. We stood in the terminal frozen for many long moments. An alarm sounded in my mind as I hopelessly tried to make sense of it all.

_"Air Alaska now boarding," _the voice cracked over the main speaker. Jasper pulled my arm to get me to move and we walked towards our plane to Alaska. I was shocked, speechless, and my brain processed faster than it ever had before. _Who was the strange woman on Edward's phone ? Carlisle was with a woman named Kolfinna. Where were Esme, Rosalie and Emmett? What happened to my family? Where was my daughter? _

I felt a weak wave of tranquility break through my racing mind and Jasper touched my shoulder softly.

"We need to calm down," Jasper said. His voice cracked as if he wasn't sure of his own words, "We will not be able to figure this out until we do."

I relaxed ever so slightly. I marveled at his ability to calm himself even though Alice was so desperately afflicted beside him. I looked up at Jasper and realized that there was more to him than I had seen before. I suddenly felt a deep sense of respect and awe for him that I had never had in the past. Somehow he regained his composure almost completely, and his calm exterior helped me to focus.

We boarded our flight and Jasper's cell began to ring.  
He hesitated a minute before answering the unidentified caller.  
"Jasper ?" the excited voice was strained, "It's Kate Denali. There's something wrong. Garrett and I just arrived and we found Esme here in our shop. She looks terrible Jasper. I don't know where Carlisle is, and it looks like Tanya hasn't been here for at least a few days."

"Put Esme on," Jasper requested, and he pulled his hand to his hair as he fidgeted nervously.

"That's the thing Jazz," Kate's voice drifted off. She's here, but it's as if she isn't. Her eyes are darker than they should be. She looks sick Jazz."

Jasper's eyes drifted to Alice and he understood Kate's description all too well.  
"We're on our way Kate. We'll arrive in Anchorage at 6 tomorrow morning. Look after her until we get there."

"Please hurry," Kate murmured, "I've never seen anything like this and I don't have a good feeling about this at all."

"Tell me about it," Jasper agreed and we boarded our plane as the final boarding call sounded.

The hours passed like months on the flight. Everything human seemed slow to me now, but this airplane felt like it was standing still in mid air. I desperately wanted to arrive in Alaska and find my way to Kate and Esme. Maybe they would have answers when we arrived. I was conscious of my guttural breathing as we were on the plane. It was difficult to concentrate on anything but instinct when I was so distraught, but I knew that I had to keep up the façade while we were in such close proximity to so many mortals.

The thought of my daughter in the arms of a stranger had me queasy with dread. I couldn't imagine Edward leaving Renesmee's side for even a moment. I should have listened to Jake. He so fiercely wanted to accompany Renesmee to the north, but the fact that all the Denali clan's vampire acquaintances would be in the area during the week made the trip more than dangerous for him. As stubborn as Jacob Black was, he was not stupid. He knew that most of those vampires would not welcome his presence, and that he would be in danger if he were alone so far from the other wolves in his pack. Edward reassured him that it would only be 5 days, so Jake decided to spend some time in La Push with Seth this week. It was time to make amends with Sam and his old pack, and he wanted to spend some time with Billy. I wished that Jacob had gone with Renesmee, _he _never would have taken his eyes off of my daughter.

Carlisle's voice sounded repeatedly in my thoughts.  
_He's never been happier._

I knew that there was nothing stronger than the love that Edward and I felt for each other. My confused emotions denied the possibility that Edward was happy to be with the woman on the other end of the line and that he didn't want to speak with me. He would never leave me; I couldn't bear the thought of being alone. The very thought of being alone pierced my confidence as I remembered the soft wispy voice on the other end of his phone.

_Edward Cullen is with me. And I am with him._

My blood began to boil and the jealousy knocked all the breath from my lungs. I felt a familiar shadow creep into my ear and make its way to my heart. I recognized the shadow of self-doubt instantly, like an old rival that was impossible to shake.  
I knew that there was nothing stronger than the love that _I _felt for Edward. Could he truly be happy without us? Had I done something wrong? I felt the doubt eat away at my insides, and it left room for a deep sadness to move in. I began to sob uncontrollably; a tearless, breathless sob. I could no longer cry like I did when I was human, but the feelings of loss were as strong as they had ever been. I begged Jasper to put me under his spell and oppress my building anxiety.

"I'm already doing it Bella," he looked at me through his own suffering eyes, "I am so worried for them that it's hard for me to concentrate."

I understood completely as I glanced at Alice. She was still silent and her eyes were closed. An outsider might think that she was resting on Jasper's shoulder. We knew, however, that Alice never slept, and that whatever it was that induced this grey sleep was most likely the same force that caused Carlisle to act so indifferent when we spoke on the phone.

After endless hours our plane finally landed in Alaska, and I felt so lost when we spilled into the lobby of the airport. There was no resolution in landing, because we had no real plan to follow. Jasper voiced my concerns as he gingerly guided Alice through the lobby, "I feel blind here without Alice to guide us."


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 : Tall tales are hard to swallow_

**KATE  
**

**-------- **

The quick run home had been exhilarating with Garrett. He glided effortlessly through the forests that lined the pacific coast as we ran to Alaska in a few days. We hunted once during the trip, and Garrett's face was priceless as he tried hunting the Canadian Kodiak Bear for the first time. He was a skilled hunter and took the bear down on the second swipe. He grimaced at the taste, and then tried to mask his displeasure by nodding at me while he fed. I laughed aloud and remembered how I had felt the first time I decided to hunt bears with Irina. I remembered the smell the most, more than the taste. It was the smell that was so difficult for me in the beginning.

Preying on animals was like taking all of the pleasure from the hunt. Their smell was almost sour to me; whereas humans had a sweetly spiced aroma. The bear smelled like a combination of rusted metal mixed with the animal's woody scent. I felt almost sorry for Garrett as he did his best to keep a straight face as he finished.

"That's terrible," he laughed a deep laugh as he sat up, "My God woman, do you really survive on just that?"  
"Everyone has different tastes," I quipped, "bears are not my favorite but they are every bit as nourishing as a more traditional diet."

"More so, I would wager," Garrett paused to think, "In all honesty, humans taste different these days. As their eating habits change, so does their scent. They almost smell like chemicals of some sort," we laughed and he continued, "but I am sure they have millennia to go before they are less palatable than _that_."

As we raced on towards Alaska Garrett told me about his solitary past. He had travelled the world countless times over, and his knowledge of geography and culture was evident. When our family was simply studying cultures in order to pass the infinite time that we had as immortals, Garrett was living amongst the people of the world. He told me stories of times in Haiti, Tibet, Morocco and Scandinavia. His eyes lit up as he relived his adventures through his tales. He looked over at me as he paused in mid sentence, "I was always alone."

We stopped walking again, this time beside a small brook running through a much quieter forest. The trees had thinned and the air was cooler, and we were getting close to my home. The clouded sky was typical for this area, and the soft light bounced from Garrett's smooth vampire skin. I took in the details of his face, and he was utterly flawless. His alabaster complexion was only overshadowed by his square lines and deep set eyes. I noticed that his eyes had warmed slightly, and that the cool crimson had turned to a warm burgundy over the last few days. Garrett approached me slower this time, and put his hands around my waist gently. He pulled me closer to him and he teased, "Will you push me away again this time, Kate ?"

I breathed in his scent as the space between us closed quickly.  
Garrett was irresistible; he had a musky scent that was woven with a sweet citrus-like overtone. I hadn't noticed how utterly attractive he was before. The blend was intoxicating and I began to felt slightly dizzy as he whispered into my ear, "I _will _follow you everywhere, Kate."

A breath escaped my lips as my uneven breathing sped up. He was magnificent, this solitary rogue that stood before me. His hand pulled me quickly towards him, more forcefully this time, and I gasped as he kissed me intensely. His lips quickly found their way to my neck, and I tilted my head back breathlessly.

In one motion he picked me up off the ground and I realized how small I felt when I was around him. He embraced me completely as his hands moved down my back and his passionate embrace intensified. Our tender kisses turned to fire and I wanted so fervently to be united with him.

His breathing slowed, and he pulled his head back slightly. His eyes darted and I could tell that Garrett sensed something in the air. I relaxed my grip on him in disappointment and I focused on the air that had so inopportunely interrupted. It bothered me that Garrett appeared to be more in tune with his senses than I was. This was the second time that he had perceived something in the air before I had, and I wondered if my lifestyle was rendering my senses ineffective. The thought was disheartening and I watched Garrett with curiosity.

He smiled wildly at me, "The Romanians!"  
"What ?" I replied, "What are you talking about Garrett ?"

He didn't answer me, he just crooked his mouth and took off to the west at a velocity that I would be hard pressed to echo. He wasn't getting away that easily though, and I took off after him, exhilarated by the chase.

Our laughter rang through the air as I chased Garret.

He stopped abruptly as we approached the two elder Romanians. Their moves were jagged as they walked. I looked at them from a distance and they looked aged, especially considering that they were immortals. Stefan hulked over the forest floor as he trudged, and Vladimir grumbled something that I could not make out at this distance.

"They hear us," Garrett nodded his head in their direction and he ran over to the Romanian coven with his arms open in a symbolic gesture of welcome. I could tell that Garrett was fascinated by the Romanians; he had watched them closely while we were at the Cullens, and even now there was a child-like look on his face as he approached the large ancients in awe.

I walked over slowly, as Stephan explained to Garrett their reason for being in the Yukon, "We are tracking Aro. He didn't go back to Italy, and when the others left he began his walk north."

I nodded a hello to the Romanian brothers and I asked them with angst, "Was he alone?"

The thought of Aro made my stomach turn; my life with my dearest Irina was stolen from me by his evil hand. I felt my eyes flare and it was Vladimir who answered my question, "He was with his vile little waif, Renata."

Stefan interjected with a grunt, "If it weren't for his little pawn shield I would have taken care of that cunning snake long ago."

"What on earth would Aro want with Alaska ?" I queried out loud, mostly to myself.  
Vladimir turned to me quickly and his livid eyes made me shudder.  
"He covets your clans," Vladimir hissed, "and I have known Aro for a very long time. There is no way he would relinquish the objects of his obsessions that easily. We were planning on - _escorting_ _them _– from a distance, so to speak, to ensure that they made their way back to their wretched nest safely."

Stefan's low laugh spattered out sounding more like a grumble. The sheer size and malice of the archaic pair frightened me, and I took a step closer to Garrett.

Vladimir's hoarse laughter rang through the landscape. When he stopped, he looked at me and his eyes opened ever so slightly. "My dear girl," he began, and a serious tone cut through his words, "We are loyal and faithful until we are betrayed. The most loyal of allies we will make; you need not worry, unless you have plans to deceive us sometime soon."

"Oh no," I stammered, "that would not happen at all."

Stefan patted me on the back in an attempt at closeness, and Garrett laughed as he began to chat about the last time they had run into each other in Yugoslavia. Garrett somehow did not appear out of place with the imposing Romanians, and they seemed to welcome him into their conversation like an old friend. I was surprised at my lonely rogue, who really looked very comfortable considering the unnerving company that we were keeping. I was glad that he had accompanied me home. I would not have wanted to run into them in the woods at night alone.

I shuddered at the thought as we made our way into Denali.  
We went to my home to warn my family about Aro's proximity but the home was empty. I moved through our duplex and was jittery as I searched to no avail. They must have all been at the shop, and the four of us made our way over to the little curio shop that my family owned. As we reached the small plaza things were bizarrely out of place. The wooden sign that read "Irina's Curios" was not lit, and there were no lights on at all inside the boutique. I cocked my head to get a better look inside, and Garrett pushed on the door. It opened under his light touch – it was unlocked. We took one step inside and I felt a heaviness in my chest. Something was incredibly wrong.

Esme's low moan led us over to her, and I called Jasper's cell phone immediately.

I noticed Vladimir's eyes narrow in suspicion as Jasper explained Bella's conversation with Carlisle. The Romanian brothers looked at each other as soon as they heard the name Korfinna. Garrett tried to calm me as I chatted to Jasper; he put his hands on my shoulders and kissed the back of my head tenderly.

"We will figure this out," he reassured me, but I didn't feel any better.

Stefan eyed us curiously as Garrett displayed his growing affection towards me, and then he spoke in a low, even voice, "I am sure that Aro's malicious hand is behind this. It reeks of his noxious ambition. He covets the bonds that your family seems to maintain almost as much as he begrudges you your powers."

Vladimir nodded his head in agreement and he motioned towards the benches in the back of the store, "Let us sit for a moment. My brother and I will be leaving shortly, but before we depart I would like to share something with you."

As we sat down Vladimir's hushed tale began, "There is a Korfinna family from Iceland, or so legend tells us."

"Legend?" Garrett probed.

"In Norse mythology," Vladimir continued in his thick accent, "there are nine worlds. All of these worlds are separate dimensions that are woven together by one large tree of life. 2 of these worlds belong to the gods, one belongs to humans, and the other 6 are," he chose his words carefully, "more mythical."

He paused and his eyes flickered to each one of us before continuing, "There is a world of primordial fire, and one of ice, and there is a world of the dead… there is also a world of giants, and two worlds inhabited by elves. One of these worlds, Svaarta, is the underworld of the dark elves."

"Elves ?" I asked impatiently, "I don't understand how a fairytale could possibly be of use to us!"

Vladimir's loud hiss made me regret my quick tongue. Garrett pulled me closer protectively and the huge elder continued, "There are such places. Stefan and I have seen the world of the giants. When I say elf you think of a little nimble creature with pointed ears, but I am not talking about the elf from your storybooks," he shot me a frigid glance, "I am talking about a race of demi-immortals who have unusual powers and malicious ambitions. They spend their long lives trying to enter the gates of the world of the dead, so that they can command the armies below. It is power that they crave. These dark creatures would rule ruthlessly if they were to succeed, and that would make them unstoppable, in any realm."

Stefan looked at us, noting our reactions and he got to the point with less illustration, "The Korfinna family are the tyrants that once ruled Svaarta, and they were exhiled to the human dimension when they were overthrown. They have been here in this realm ever since, where they live human lives in human form. They can live for hundreds of years, but they are not immortals. "

I looked at Garrett and he looked like he had been struck over the head with tin pan, "Dark elf descendents in human form? Do you always attract such am odd assortment of creatures Kate ?"

Stefan continued, "We must be off now."

With a nod and a handshake they were gone. I looked at Garrett completely lost. Everything had happened so quickly that I blinked to take it all in. It seemed absolutely ridiculous to think that their legend had anything to do with my missing family. What about Aro ? I felt a fool for being lured into the Romanian's tale, and I was ashamed to admit that our only lead was a legend from Norse folklore.

Garrett pulled me closer still and he thought out loud, "Once, long ago, I believed with all my being that vampires were mythical creatures that lived only on the pages of storybooks. I have known the Romanians for many, many years. They are as wise in their years as any member of the Volturi."

I refused to believe the tall-tale. "Elves," I snickered sarcastically, "What a load of crap. Pardon my French. "

Esme suddenly shifted and garbled something incoherent. Poor Esme appeared to be in pain, and her grayed eyes were still shocking to see. I wondered what had happened to her beloved Carlisle.

"This is very worrying," Garrett whispered as he eyed Esme.  
I glared at him and his huge understatement, "This is my family, Garrett! Of course it is '_worrying_'."

"That's not what I meant," he replied as he stared off into the air, "I have never seen such strength in two families as I did in yours and the Cullens last month. I have never seen so many talented vampires in union, and so many interesting, gifted creatures living and relating as kin and _family_."

He paused and looked over to me as he voiced his turmoil, "If this could happen to your family Kate, then none of us are safe."  
I nodded blankly and we moved Esme to my home. Jasper and Bella would be arriving in Anchorage in the morning, and at the moment there was nothing to do but wait.

** Chapter 4 uploaded tomorrow ** please review ! Thanks.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4 : Visions_ **BELLA**

Esme looked horrible. Her perfect features were twisted in pain and all of the light had gone from her eyes. I was mortified to see her like this. She was always the perfect picture of grace; always so full of energy and charisma. The stark contrast as she lay on Carmen's bed was colossal. Her darkened features looked haunted, and the only hint of life was her intermittent murmuring. Kate stroked Esme's hair and wondered out loud about Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar. Jasper sat silently on the small sofa with Alice in his arms, and Garrett stared out the window, deep in thought. We all felt tremendously helpless. I turned to sob, and a quick movement caught my eye from beyond the window.  
It looked like – "Jake!" I screamed as he burst into the Denali residence. I ran over to him and he read the dismay on my face in an instant. "Where's Nessie, Bella?"

I answered him with another question, "Jake how did you know where to find us?"

He scanned the room and panic filled his deep brown eyes when he noticed Alice and Esme's tormented states. He focused his attention on me and I answered his question, "Renesmee is missing Jake. They all are."

Jakes body shook violently as he fought to control his transformation, "I knew something was wrong. I could feel it. When I arrived at Charlie's they told me about Alice. I went to the house and when you weren't home, well," he lowered his eyes for a moment before he continued, "I knew where Edward was and I just assumed…" He paused and looked at me tentatively, "I also called 6 different airlines."

"Oh Jake," I clung to his warm embrace, "I'm so relieved that you are here."

My cheek pushed against Jake's arm. He always seemed to be there to comfort me when I needed it; first in my human life and even now, as a vampire. I felt calmer that Jake was by my side. His love for my daughter was rivaled only by my own and I knew that he would fight for her safe return. From the safety net of his comforting hug I caught the glimpse of a familiar piece of fuchsia fabric. _The colors were right, the size was right…_ I moved quickly to the small jacket that hung on the doorknob of Carmen's room.  
"Nessie's jacket," Jake exhaled a worry.  
I picked it up and smelled her honey lavender scent. She had been here; she made it safely to the Denali's, and that knowledge made me feel like I could press on and find my daughter.

I wondered why her jacket was left inside and I quickly searched the pockets for any other clues to her whereabouts. I pulled out a scribbled note and scanned it quickly. It looked like it could be Edward's writing, but it was blotchy and muddled. The normally perfect cursive looked forced and rushed, almost as if he was writing the note without looking at the paper.

_Nes  
Korfinna coven  
borealis tower below_

I passed the unintelligible note to Jacob and I continued to look through the pockets for more clues.  
I found the pen that Edward had used to scribble his cryptic message and something cold. I pulled out a small stone pendant that was hanging from an intricately woven necklace. It reminded me of something from the Quileute's tribe, only it was only black and white instead of the bright red and terracotta that favored in LaPush.

"It's Inuit," Jacob explained as he ran his hands over the stone pendant, "but I have no idea what these symbols are."

The grey stone was carved with an interwoven spiral pattern that had an 8 pointed star overlaid on top of it.

Jacob plucked the necklace out of my hand and threw his jacket on as he hollered from the hallway, "Only one way to find out!"

"Oh no you're not Jacob Black," I called after him, "I am coming with you."

The chorus of voices behind me confirmed that no one was comfortable waiting around for our family members to waltz back home. We all felt the need to act. Jasper held Alice in his arms, and Garrett carried Esme; we quickly filed out of the house and towards the centre of town. Jake had asked for directions to the nearest Inuit village before we caught up to him and the second that we were on the outskirts of town, and away from the scrutiny of the villagers, he phased. Garrett stared incredulously at the large shape shifter. I had the feeling it was a time of many firsts for the quiet wanderer. He didn't say much, but it was apparent that he was deeply connected to Kate. Their displays of affection were the one pleasant thing about this day, so I focused on them to calm my nerves. They did seem to match well together. Kate was stunning with her strawberry blonde hair and light amber eyes, and Garrett, the mysterious rogue, was striking with his dirty blonde hair and piercing eyes. I was surprised that they hadn't found their mates long ago. I guess I didn't really understand how pairing worked in the world of vampires. I had never experienced it from their side of things, and no quicker had I thought about Kate's long singledom did I remember my Edward's as well.

_Edward._ I pressed on faster than before. We raced after Jacob with a velocity that would have made us look like a blur to the naked mortal eye. The earth grew colder and the freezing ground became a snow filled tundra as we pressed northwards. The ice and snow did not slow us down; we were tireless in our run. The sun began to set in the sky and twilight slowly settled in. My thoughts were flooded with images of Edward and Renesmee, and I felt an anxious, burning hope that this village would somehow lead me to them both.

On the horizon we saw rows of igloos lining the purple horizon. We slowed our pace as we approached the small icy community.

When we arrived a small boy called out and alerted the others of our presence. His language was short and choppy, and almost monotone. I hadn't thought about how we were planning to communicate with the Inuit people until just now.

"It's Inupiatun," Kate explained.

Maybe she could talk to the villagers. I raised my eyebrows to ask, and she shook her head at me. _Okay, so Kate doesn't speak this indigenous language_. One look at the blank stares from everyone in my group led me to the conclusion that no one understood the indigenous tongue.

I looked at the little boy and I asked him quietly, "English?"

He giggled and nodded his head. I wasn't certain that he understood what I said, but he reached up his little arm and took my hand in his. He tugged me forwards and began to lead us towards the largest igloo in the centre of the little commune.

He pointed to the low archway in the front of the igloo and I ducked my head to enter the icy home. The air inside was warm and damp, and there was a small fire in the middle of the floor. The fire was burning thick incense, and I recognized the scent as sandalwood. The ice gleamed as the reflection of the flames danced on the smooth walls. There was a stillness in the air that I couldn't quite understand and I sat gingerly on one of the many bearskin rugs that were laid around the fire. The others followed me inside and we remained silent in anticipation as the small boy held his hands out as if to say 'wait here'.

"Who needs English?" Jacob chuckled. He was always so amiable, and his presence calmed me as we waited in the humid warmth. I took a deep breath and I could smell the ocean from a short distance away. The blend of ocean and incense was uniquely enigmatic, and I was sure that this was a very special place, this igloo.

A shadow came over the entrance and a small village elder entered the igloo. His face crinkled inwards each time he smiled, and he made a point of smiling at every one of us in turn. His beaming eyes lit up the room, and he moved with a stillness that made him graceful in his old age. He was confident and humble at the same time, and the air about him made me think that he must be the chief. He stopped briefly to look at Alice who was in Jasper's arms and he furled his eyebrows momentarily.

He smiled at me, and then nodded calmly, as the small boy helped him to sit down on the other side of the fire. Wearing many layers of skins and furs, he didn't seem to feel the cold air outside. To finish off his outfit, he had a brightly embroidered orange wool sweater pulled tightly over his layers and barely fitting over his curled frame.

Jake cocked his head as he watched the chief's mannerisms, and a half smile crept onto his lips that he was obviously trying to conceal. Jake was clearly amused by the Inuit man's appearance. His eyes paused for a moment on Jake, and the old man shook his head and began to laugh with his whole body. His laughter was silent at first and then it escaped, uncontained, and it filled the small igloo with a cheerful ambience.

"You think too orange," the old man managed slowly with his broken English and huge grin.  
His warmth emanated through the igloo and we all laughed together for the first time since my arrival in Alaska. The old man was undeniably pleased with our laughter, and he nodded silently to himself as if he was extremely pleased with his ability to tell a good joke. He murmured a few words and slowly pulled a small metal cup from the fire. He used his bare hands, and I watched in amazement when he didn't seem to feel the burning flames.

He pointed to himself and said, "English."

We laughed again, and then he pushed the cup into my hands, "You drink," he instructed.

I paused to smell the warm broth in the cup. This was the reason for the musky sandalwood scent that filled my senses. There had been no incense at all. The strong aroma was coming from this small metal cup, and when I breathed in the spicy blend I wondered how I would get out of this one. The sandalwood aroma tickled my nose and my face felt warm when I breathed it in. I nodded politely and passed the cup to Jake, not wanting to offend our eccentric host, but also not convinced that my vampire body could stomach the strange brew that he offered me.

His orange arm waved at me as I passed the cup over, "No. _You_ drink."  
I looked at him unsure what to say. He smiled warmly at me and he winked, "Bella. _You_ drink."

I was shocked that this Inuit man knew my name, but for some reason I was not afraid. I felt that I could trust this person, and my instincts had never proven me wrong before. I quickly took a small sip and I closed my eyes. There was no disgust, and no feelings of nausea; there was only a peaceful sense of _relief_. The smooth tingling liquid melted into my mouth and down my throat, and it seemed to flow seamlessly into every corner of my body. I noticed the warm mint and lemon aroma as it coursed through my limbs, and when it stopped moving it radiated a wave of peacefulness through every cell of my being. I relaxed in the rapture of well-being, and I felt a smile move across my lips. The orange sweatered man had to clear his throat three times just to bring me back to the reality of the igloo.  
Slightly ashamed, my eyes flashed to the ground, and I quickly passed the cup over to Jake.

The chiefs eyes narrowed and he shook his head at Jake, "No."  
He pointed his nose over to Jasper and motioned for him to accept the cup. "_You_ drink."  
Jasper accepted the cup and the ceremony went on until Jasper, Kate and Garrett had all also had a taste from the cup. We sat in awe and the old chief rose slowly from his bearskin mat; his tired body was weary from many years of life. He took some of remaining liquid and he poured it down Alice's throat. She coughed instantly and then her eyes began to flutter. Her eyes opened, and we watched in disbelief as the grey began to withdraw from her eyes. The cloudy cover disappeared, and Alice strained to focus her blurred vision as if she were waking up from a very deep sleep. She opened her mouth to try to speak but the chief's finger pressed softly to her lips. Her panicked look subsided when Jasper pulled her in to him. She hummed quietly and relaxed into his arms.

In moments, Esme and Alice were conscious, and the strange liquid was working its magic on all of us.

I watched the Inuit elder in admiration, and suddenly I had a million questions to ask him.

"How did you know that we could drink that?" I asked quietly.

He turned his body slowly towards mine and he laughed, "No English."

I blinked at him slowly and he touched my forehead gently, "Bella."

He moved to the door and he motioned for Jake to stand. He turned Jake around in a circle as if he were sizing him for a tailor made suit. He looked Jake up and down and his eyes moved quickly as he searched for some invisible mark.  
"Shape Shifter," he finally murmured with a nod, and motioned with his head towards the door.

Jake got up slowly without asking any questions and they both went outside. It was completely silent as we watched the shadows of their forms from the inside of the igloo. We saw the old man place his clothing in a heap in the snow and then his silhouette began to vibrate quickly. In the blink of an eye his shape morphed into a large arctic polar bear. He walked slowly over to Jake, and pushed Jake's broad chest with his muzzle. In another instant they had both phased and they were slowly circling the village. We only saw their shadows from the inside of the igloo, but I recognized Jake's laughing bark from a distance.

"They're talking," I mouthed to Jasper, and before I finished my sentence Jake ran into the igloo.  
"I need the necklace, Bells," he motioned to Renesmee's jacket that I had been holding tightly in my hands.

Jake ran out with the strange stone pendant and we watched him phase again outside the door. He held the pendant in his mouth and the large polar bear walked over to it. He sniffed it, shook his head, and let out a low growl.

I remembered the Volturi's fear when they first eyed Jake and his pack, and I wondered now how they would react to a creature as goliath as the polar bear outside. The bear sat on his back haunches and threw his head into the air. His menacing silhouette growled into the night and his razor sharp teeth wailed in anger. I watched as Jacob put his large paw up, as if reaching to console the bear, and then, as if they had never been animals, they shook their heads and stood in front of us as men.  
"Hey!" Jake protested as he saw us watching. They both turned their backs to us quickly and Jake yelped, "Some privacy please!"

We laughed again and waited in suspense for Jake to speak.

He calmly entered the igloo and took a deep breath. I could see Jake's breath in the frigid air as he came in from the cold evening. He motioned over to the Inuit man that followed him in, his orange sweater hastily thrown over his clothing.  
"This," Jake began, "is Chief English."

The Inuit man smiled and he touched his hand to his chest, "English."

Kate giggled at his name and I looked into Jake's eyes searching for evidence that he had solved a small piece of our problem. "English thinks he knows where they have taken everyone."

I waited on the edge of Jake's every word, "English, it seems, has a special talent for knowing certain things. Like he knew that you were vampires, and he knew that you were - _good_ ones."

"How?" I breathed in amazement.

"Well that's the awesome part," Jake grinned at me, "He read it all in Bella's mind before we arrived."

I pulled my shield up defensively and English let out a loud chorus of laughter.  
Jake laughed and he translated the laughter, "He said you would not like that at all. The funny thing is, the only one's mind that he _can_ read clearly is yours, Bella. His talent works best when a child is in danger; he's sort of everyone's grandpa or something like that. I mean, not literally, but he's looks after his people like that. And the other tribes kids, too."

Jake paused and then began again, slower this time. I knew he was worrying about my reaction as he painstakingly chose his words with caution, "There's some sort of hmmm…. _entity_ here in Alaska. Or a group of entities. I'm not sure. It was hard to understand. They look like people but they aren't really people." He struggled to find the right words that clearly explain his vision. Chief English put his hand on Jake's shoulder and persuaded him to continue with a nod.

"They are like immortals, like you guys. But they are evil _creatures_," he shook his head as he spoke the word creatures, it was obviously not the right word to describe what he saw, "but it seems like they can die. So I guess immortal is not the right word."

He winced at me, and I could tell the next part was going to be the hardest, "They want to make Edward and Carlisle and the others forget about Nessie. That's the main image I got. They want everyone to forget. Hmmm… Forget everything really, like they are sucking their memories from them. That's what it looked like. When they have completely forgotten, those grey creatures plan to bring them to Aro in trade." He gulped and his eyes shimmered in both anger and anguish.

"In trade for what?" I asked in horror, and I felt like someone had thrown a bowling ball into the pit of my stomach.

"In trade for…. Nessie," Jake's eyes watered in fear.

Garrett interjected, "Why do they want Nessie?"

"I don't know," Jake collapsed to the ground, "I couldn't understand that part. It was all so foreign to me. I just saw images and pictures from his mind."

I still hadn't caught my breath, and I didn't know that vampires could be completely shocked into fear before now. "Nessie's with….." I couldn't finish the sentence.

Jake nodded and took the pain upon himself, "Nessie's with Aro."


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5: Visions_ **KATE**

The news of Renesmee's kidnapping put Bella's head into a spin. My heart went out to her; the pain she felt was visible on her face. She almost looked like she were going to faint, and that was something that I had never witnessed in my many long years as a vampire. Esme appeared to be more herself, and she rushed to Bella's side to comfort her. She patted her face and kissed her cheek, "Bella," she began, her voice shaky and hoarse, "The Cullens, if anything, are survivors."

She looked over at me and took my hand next, "As are all members of our family. We will find a way out of this, and bring our families home."

The warm elixir's sedating effects had worn off slightly and everyone began to ask questions at the same time. We told the Cullens about Stefan and Vladimir's folk tale, and Alice told us that she had envisioned a group of black haired women in her mind right before everything went dark. Esme had not seen any women, but she heard them speaking before she lost her senses to the grey abyss, "They had strange voices," she began, "and it was almost like they had two tones when they spoke; there was a higher voice and a lower voice that spoke in unison."

"Yes!" Alice's eyes lit when Esme's description triggered her memory, "It was like they were talking though a fan. I was terrified, but I couldn't stop myself from following them. I felt like I was under a trance, like I was drugged, but none of the fear was numbed." She cringed as she remembered more clearly, "There was also pain. My eyes and head felt like they were doused in burning gasoline right before everything went completely dark. After that there was only fear, and the alluring hum of the voices. I couldn't hear what they were saying though; it was more like tones than words."

Jasper quickly hopped to his feet, and he paced around the fire twice. He looked at the English and then at Jacob, "What's with the necklace?"

Jacob closed his eyes to try to decipher the messages in his mind. "The images," he started, "were all jumbled. They had no order, no sequence. The points on the stars represent the 8 other worlds, and the spirals drive them away, does that make any sense?" He put his hand to his head and closed his eyes in strain.

He huffed in exasperation. Jacob was clearly distraught at his inability to recall exact details from his time with the chief. The fact that the two shape shifters were able to communicate with images instead of language was in and of itself an incredible feat. Jake was being too hard on himself; he grunted in exasperation. An orange clad arm patted him on the back. The Inuit shape shifter exposed his fingers to the flames once more, this time pulling some ash from the edge of the small fire. He rubbed it between his palms and winked at Jake. He grabbed the metal cup quickly, flipping it in the air before he caught it in his other hand. His smile widened at his cocktail-like delivery. Garrett laughed with the elder and then he stopped and looked intensely at the cup he was holding. Carefully, he pointed his index finder and rimmed the edge of the small container. The oily residue that the cup left behind made the tip of his finger glisten in the firelight. He gestured for Jacob to come closer.

Jake looked at Bella momentarily, and then shrugged his shoulders and moved towards English. Jake was much taller than English, and English had to reach up to touch Jake's forehead. He rubbed the mystery blend into the spot between Jake's eyes, and then he then turned Jake towards us and put his hand between Jake's broad shoulders.

Jake breathed deeply, and his eyes glazed over. He stared at nothing, but we saw expressions wash over his face – awe, fear, anger… Garrett hugged me close to his body and I watched as Jake began to speak, "They are the Kolfinna family."

Jake's voice was low, monotone, and distant. It echoed through the walls of the igloo and I wondered if it were Jake or English that was leading the voice. Jake began again, his sentences fragmented and broken at first.

"3 sisters – each one strong, lovely and persuasive.

Ancestors of diabolic creatures that are not from this world;

the women carry the gene, and they become weaker with each passing generation."

Jake's speech began to flow more effortlessly, "They become more and more human each lifetime because their fathers are all human mortals. In attempt to richen the bloodline they look for _special_ fathers."

I saw Bella and Esme stiffen, and they looked at each other without speaking a word. Bella's teeth clenched together and she urged Jake to continue.

Jake's voice began to resonate throughout the igloo, "The dark family hunted our people for many years. They came in the night, stealing our warriors and our children. _Why_ they stole our children in the night we do not know. When my great-great grandfather crafted the protective pendants they worked to keep the women out of our villages, and more importantly, away from our young brothers. The symbols on the necklaces would repel and repulse any creature that was unnatural to our human world. The 8 pointed star was our redemption from the family from one of the other 8 worlds, and we felt shielded for many years.

As time passed the dark ones became more and more human, and the enchanted symbols that repelled them grew impotent. Now, the women wear our pendants in triumph, because their strange magic no longer touches them. Now the sisters do not belong to this world, nor do they belong to the one from which they came. They live fading on the edge of both, entering the human world at their leisure while endlessly waiting to return their own. The only time to find them is when they rest at night. They do so between the worlds. The drink that I offered you has quenched your thirst for many days. You will not need to feed for much time. The place between worlds that they call home will have nothing to sustain you, nor will it have food for the shape shifter. The blend of ingredients will allow you an easier passage, and it will help to defend your minds from their clever illusion."

I thought about how wonderful the drink had made me feel, and I realized now that the burning had completely gone from my throat. The sensation was one of weightlessness and serenity. My world was turned upside down in the last 24 hours and the stories and the myths were almost too much to grasp. I wondered if life would ever return to normal, and I thought of my family caught in the grey void that Alice and Esme spoke of. _Tanya, Eleazar Carmen, hold on. Please. _.  
I couldn't handle losing anyone else. I thought of Tanya's warm laughter and quick wit, and it was as if Garrett read my mind when he asked, "What do we need to do ? Where do we need to go ?"

There was a long pause and Jake's voice reverberated solemnly though the dome for the last time "They will let your family starve to death if they are of no use to the women. They are nomads, sticking to the shore of the ocean. The veil between the worlds will thin when the moon is highest in the sky. Once each night you will see their glow. I, I……. I must….. rest."

English fell to he ground and Jake shook his head as his eyes came into focus. "Wow English, that was insane. I was like a human amplifier," his voice trailed off when he noticed English on the floor.

The chief was breathing heavily to our relief, and I relaxed when he let out a loud snore. From out of nowhere the young boy who greeted us on the horizon entered the large room.

He giggled and sat on English as if the orange sweater were the best seat in the house. He placed his palms together and put them under his tilted head; it must have been time for everyone to rest. The small boy bounced up, and then poked his head outside and pointed into the night air. Jasper was the first to follow him outside and stare at the large moon that hung low in the sky. "We should hurry," Garrett turned to the group, "Jake, do you need to rest ?"

"Not on your life," Jake replied, and then cocked his head in thought, "Or – er – on your _un_life."

We hugged our young host appreciatively, and he patted each one of our hearts. He laughed when he patted my heart and then he pulled his ear to my chest. He nodded again as he listened and then shrugged at me when there was no heartbeat to be found. He waved a warm goodbye and we took off west towards the ocean.

We were unusually quiet, the seven of us, as we quickly gained ground. The northern lights glowed eerily in above the horizon. They seemed to dance in their green and yellow glow, and they cast stretched shadows over the landscape. Alice was complaining that her visions were being blocked by something, and that she couldn't see the others. Esme seemed so small and frail as she walked alone behind her family in the moonlight. I knew that she wasn't frail, but I had never seen her without Carlisle by her side. She looked like half of a whole, rather than one of a pair. She hugged her arms to her chest as she walked, and I knew it wasn't the cold that made her shiver. I tugged on Garrett's hand to speed up, so that we could catch up with her.

"Esme I know you must be so worried," I empathized. She had only looked down when we told her about Carlisle's strange reactions and the female Korfinna. There was no anger in her actions, only WORRY.

She looked for a fleeting moment like she would break down into sobs, but she held firm and regained her composure.  
"Thanks Kate," she replied, forcing a smile, "we will find them. There is **no** other option."

I thought about Edward's Volturi stunt when he was convinced that he lost Bella forever, and I knew that Esme was not kidding about the limited options. Garrett and I fell back as she joined up with Bella ahead. They linked arms in mutual support. Esme knew no life other than the one that she had with Carlisle. I shuddered to think what would become of her if she ever lost her mate.

Jake stopped abruptly and he told us that he was going to hunt. I looked over the barren landscape and I didn't detect anything at all in the air. There were large rocks, ice boulders, and snow. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Trust me. I have no idea what to expect when we get there," he tried to joke, "but you guys do not want to be near me when I am hungry."

Jake took off and I mused at the thought of a werewolf friend. I was actually beginning to warm up to him, despite my initial disgust at the wolves when we they attended Edward and Bella's wedding. The Cullens stopped to wait for Jake near a large heap of ice. I watched them from a close distance; they were just within earshot. Jasper and Alice were trying to decide which direction would be the best one for us to head in, and I noticed Bella was very strangely quiet as she listened to the others. It thought it was peculiar that she was still carrying her daughter's jacket. Perhaps she did it to comfort herself, or maybe she thought it would useful later. Whatever the reason, she had not let go of the small pink bomber since she picked it up in Carmen's room. I wondered for a moment how it would feel to have a daughter. The idea of being a mother had never crossed my mind after I was transformed, however, the idea of a _mate_…was an idea that I had envisioned for as long as I could remember. For endless years I had watched my Cullen cousins in their seemingly perfect pairings, and I would be the first to admit that I was more than a little bit jealous when Edward met Bella. Not that I was ever interested in Edward that way, but he was unmatched, as Tanya and I were, and it made it seem more tolerable. Normal, even.

I longed for so many years to have someone to spend my long nights with. I smiled to myself as the thought of the handsome wander that followed me. Garrett approached me from behind and put his arms around me. I felt his large frame behind mine, and I crooned, "Well hello there, sir."

He pushed my hair back with his chin and whispered in my ear, "Have you noticed that no one is paying attention to us?"

My chest jumped with the thrill of his touch, and the fire in my eyes burned wildly. I breathed out a hum as an answer, failing miserably to disguise my excitement in his words. He loosened his embrace when his right hand moved to my lower stomach, and he slowly worked his way up to my ribs. My breathing quickened and I felt wild with anticipation. His hands moved up my sides and he began to kiss the nape of my neck softly. His touch was electric and a quiet moan escaped my lips as I thought of the possible outcome of our encounter.

He moved to the other ear and I felt him breathing, "Do you suppose," he inhaled excitedly, "That they would miss us if we were to disappear for a little?"

His other hand moved under my layers and down my midriff and his hand touched my skin dangerously close to the button of my low-rise denims. I felt my chest rise and fall as I inhaled uncontrollably, and I managed to constrain my breath enough to speak. He was driving me insane, "What are you trying to do to me ?"

I turned to face Garrett and before our eyes even met he pulled me forcefully towards him and he let out a deep sigh. There were no words between us and he ran his fingers through my hair and then cupped the small of my back in his embrace. His rugged beauty blinded my reason and I pushed myself closer to him still. He gathered me up in his strong arms as I wrapped one leg around him while my other foot was barely skimming the ground. I waited impatiently for his lips to touch mine. We pressed tighter towards each other as he caught his breath, and nodded in the direction away from the Cullens. I nodded, my body on fire, and we slipped silently into the privacy of the night.

When we stopped walking he touched my feet to the ground and he looked at my face as if he were seeing each detail of it for the first time. "May I kiss you Kate Denali ?"

I laughed with one quiet gasp, "Please. This is almost painful."

I looked into his almond eyes and his lips finally came crashing down on mine It felt like a thousand sparks flew between us and our kisses blazed under my lips. We pulled around each other like two opposite magnets, and I realized that I was absolutely captivated by this man. The desire to be closer to Garrett flooded all my senses, and I reached down to the icy ground. He kissed me with a passion I had only read about, and I screamed on the inside for more.  
He paused, and looked at me, "Are you alright with this Kate ? Like this?"

"Please stop being so 19th century Garret."

He kissed me gently on the lips, and caressed my cheek in pensively.

"I am so happy Kate," he murmured.

I had a longing for him I smiled coyly as I tilted my head back slightly and pushed my chest forwards. I didn't want him to stop, and I began to unbutton his shirt eagerly.

It pushed Garrett over the top and the blazing fire in his eyes exploded. His kiss was more eager than before, and he finally moved to the ground with me. I melted in his arms and I was inebriated with him. The sheer bliss that followed was nothing like anything that I had ever imagined. It was so much more than that. We were perfect together; the way we moved, the way we loved.

_Loved._

I was finally, after all of these years, falling in love_. Of all the circumstances – and in of all the places !_

I smiled speechlessly at Garrett and relaxed into his arms,  
"I think I might be…." I started but I couldn't finish the sentence. _Falling in love. Tell him._

Garrett hugged me close and a huge smile crept onto his face. It was clear to see that he was as happy as I was. He tucked my hair behind my ear and he rolled onto his back and pulled my head to his chest.  
"I am hopelessly in love with you, Kate," he said sincerely. He was so confident when he spoke, and his words made my chest soar. I was intoxicated with happiness, and I could only nod in agreement.

"I do hope the feeling is somewhat mutual," he strained his neck to see my face, and I nodded again. I was speechless and he let out cheerful laugh and gave me one final hug. "I would love to stay here forever… but…..,"he glanced away, "We have some pressing matters to attend to."

The reality of our situation crowded into my private utopia. At first I was annoyed at the reminder, but I quickly realized that the moon was rising and we couldn't waste the time that we did have. Everything seemed a little less dreadful now. I had Garrett by my side and I felt like we were ready to take on the world.

Aro's face flashed through my mind and I recalculated my assertion. I decided that we were ready to take on _these sisters_. Nothing they could offer me with their tempting illusions could possibly be better than my time with Garrett.

"Let's go find these sisters," I said confidently, "Whom, by the way, are _nothing_ like any character from _any _fairy tale. I told you it was impossible."

Garrett looked at me with an amused look on his face.

"Thanks for not shocking me this time," Garrett teased relentlessly. He poked me in the stomach playfully and he continued, "We should get back, unless you are afraid of some little _elves_."

I bit my lip, pretending to be offended, "You had better be careful Garrett, or you _will _get shocked."

We laughed together and returned to the others.  
Jake was smiling at us with one eyebrow raised wittingly, and he joked, "Only vampires could do _that_ in this temperature."

Garrett shifted uncomfortably for a split second and then he laughed it off, "Oh my dear Jake, I am positive that wolves would manage just fine."

"Urrrgh," I squished my nose into my face, "Jake you smell terrible."

"Lots of fish," he laughed, "Unlike you, I can do cold-blooded. Come on, the river over there will lead us to the ocean."

We moved quickly, and a wave of adrenaline washed over us as we approached the ocean's edge. As we got closer, the ice boulders grew into massive rocks and large crevices opened up in the ground to reveal the black water below. The moon had shifted and it was directly overhead; high in the night sky. Bella suddenly froze.

"Over there," she whispered soundlessly, but we all heard her. She stood petrified and my eyes followed hers until I saw the massive jagged glacier that pointed out of the ocean and into the night sky. The northern lights' brightest center perched directly above the huge mound of ice.

Her hands moved in a blur and she scurried to find the note that Renesmee's jacket had hidden.

_Nes__  
__Korfinna coven__  
__borealis tower below_

"The Aurora Borealis," she hummed, "and the tower."

We instinctively began to walk closer to the sides of the ice rocks so that we would be less likely to be seen. None of us knew what to expect or even what to look for, but Bella was sure that this was the place.  
We reached the water and stood in silence for what seemed like an hour. There was nothing there and we had no idea where to go from there. Jasper walked along the ice shore searching for something that he couldn't see, while Jake rested, leaning up against the icy wall to our left.

Suddenly the green dancing lights of the Northern Lights turned to soft orange in the centre spot that was just above the jagged glacier. I gasped and Garrett was the first one to reach the top.  
He held his hand out to me as we raced to his side. We stood on the tip of the pointed mountain of ice-rock and the lights appeared to be in the sky right in front of us. They seemed so close, but when Jasper put his hand out to touch them he couldn't reach them. Alice jumped in front of Jasper and she smiled tiny smile and she gave him a quick hug. She stepped off the edge of the glacier and instead of falling to the ground she – disappeared.

I gasped and watched as Jasper immediately followed her. Bella disappeared with Jake and Esme, and then it was just us. Garrett and I stood on the edge of uncertainty for a fleeting second. He kissed me softly and he took a step towards the edge. I hesitated in fear and he winked at me, "I meant every word."

He held my hand tight and I looked into his loving eyes one last time before we stepped towards the unknown, together.

_**Chapter 6 will be uploaded soon !** Please review ! Thank you ___


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6: The Light_: **BELLA**

As soon as I saw the massive ice spike I knew that it was the place that Edward's note hinted at. He must have seen it in the thoughts of the Kolfinnas, and I guessed that he didn't know exactly where it was or even _what _it was_,_ for that matter. The ice spire did look like a huge white tower, with its rough silhouette hanging over the black Arctic water and the green Aurora Borealis pulsating in the backlit sky.

I'm not sure how Alice knew that she had to walk off the end of the glacier, but somehow she did. Her eyes lit up right before she hugged Jasper, and she seemed to be remembering another part of her vision. It was unsettling that Alice couldn't remember the details of the apparitions that she had seen when she was convulsing at Charlie's house. She couldn't remember the women's voices until Esme described them to us; it was like she had completely forgotten about them. Although her memories did seem to be in the back of her head somewhere, they were buried deep in her subconscious and they only came to life when something reminded her of them.

I knew that this was a bad sign. It meant that Alice would not be able to help us avoid danger because she wouldn't remember the situation early enough to warn us.

Something else about Alice's crippled memory was eating away at me - Alice would often see a variety of outcomes of any one situation. Depending on the different choices that people made, her _choose-your-own-adventure_ mind would show many different futures. It was a huge responsibility for my poor sister to bear, and she would always search for alternatives to protect any one of us from harm. Sometimes, Alice herself would consciously make the decision to interfere in order to change the outcome. She would change her own plans as many times as she had to until she found one happy ending that worked for everyone. But right now, her memory was so fragmented….

What if her memory of jumping into the orange abyss was a part of the _wrong ending, _the one that would expose us to a danger that we couldn't handle? 

I pushed the thoughts aside and tried not to think about what had happened to Alice. The blinding control that these creatures had on her mind was paralyzing me with fear. I pulled my shield around myself protectively, and then slowly extended it to the right and left so that it would encompass Esme and Jake as we entered the orange light. We held hands, and we all took a step forward as the same time. There was no turning back, and with fear for where we were going and hope that we could save our family we all stepped off the edge.

I gasped, and looked below and watched the water as I raced towards it.

We were falling quickly into the ocean. _This wasn't supposed to happen. _We had all seen Alice and Jasper step off the ice and disappear, so why on earth were we plummeting towards the dark black sea?

I looked at Jake and he turned to look at me, and in a split second my feet touched the water, but something was odd. I didn't feel the frigid water and the swaying feeling of bobbing up and down in arctic waves. Unexpectedly, I felt a warm, tingling sensation come over my body. It started as my feet entered the water and worked its way up and around my head. My whole body went numb and I felt very soft and fluid. I wasn't sure my muscles would work and I moved my fingers to make sure that I still had control of my limbs. To my surprise, there was no darkness around me; there was only a soft orange glow. I strained my eyes to focus on the peculiar surroundings and I fixated on the lights that were dancing above me. It looked like we were under orange, rippling waves and that a bright yellow sun beamed into the space around us. I couldn't feel any water, but I was definitely floating. Gravity didn't exist in the place, and there was no resistance when I moved my hands around; there was only the light. Everything was warm and numb, and my mind started to feel soft and feathery. My thoughts were vague and distant, and they drifted to Forks and to Charlie. Angela was there, then Jessica. Then I was eating lunch in the sun in Phoenix, and I laughed with Renee in the park. My laughter remained, and I was back in Biology class with Edward.

_Edward_.

Edward, there was something that I was forgetting.

My mind snapped back to the hazy abyss and my eyes focused on the orange infinity ahead. I couldn't see anything but color. Some areas seemed mistier than others, and some spots looked darker. I couldn't make out any shapes or forms. I turned my head and I saw Jake a few meters away, floating with a calm smile on his face. His eyes were closed and he began to slowly tumble in the tangerine haze. I reached out to approach him, and my hand seemed so far away. As hard as I tried to reach him my arm was not long enough. I tried to call to him, but my voice seemed to bubble away. I kicked my feet in the air below and I began to move closer to him. There was no reason to think that kicking my legs would propel me forward, because when I paddled it felt like I was kicking nothing but air. It was inexplicable, and I couldn't rationalize the physics behind it all; but somehow it worked. I moved like I was stuck in slow motion, and even though there was no friction in the air, I had to force my muscles to move. It was like I weighed thousands of pounds, and when I finally grabbed Jake's arm, he fluttered his eyes open and quickly regained consciousness. He stared at the endless orange mist and opened his mouth to speak, "What is this?"

I had to concentrate on his lips to understand his question. His voice sounded like we were underwater in a noisy pool, and it seemed so far away that I could barely hear it.  
I shook my head. I had no explanation for him and I doubted that he could understand me if I tried to speak anyways. I looked up again and the dancing orange lights seemed farther away this time. There were no more ripples that I could see, just beams of light that pierced through the space and lightly touched our skin. I looked at my hand and it looked like the color of a terracotta pot. I moved it under the light and there was no shimmer to it. My diamond skin did not react to this peculiar light at all. Jake tugged on my shirt and pointed at Esme, who was floating just below us. We swam down to grab her without letting go of each other's hands.

It took us longer to wake Esme from her dream. When she finally awoke, she stared at us in both terror and wonder. Her blonde hair looked like fire as it floated freely around her head, and she opened her mouth as if she were trying to taste the air that we were suspended in. She looked at us and shook her head, there was no taste. We were left with no answers to our questions about the place that we were in.

The three of us formed a circle as we hovered motionless. We didn't want to lose each other and our muscles were so heavy here that it would be easier to stay together this way. Slowly, the lights began to brighten. Everything blazed a bright, intense orange. It intensified until it was blinding, and I squinted to see Jake and Esme through the harsh glow. As the light magnified I lost sight of their faces. Luckily, I felt their hands wrapped tightly around mine. I told myself that as long as I could feel them at my side then we would be okay.

My thoughts began to cloud over again, and a feeling of extreme exhaustion saturated my mind. All I wanted to do was sleep.

_Sleep _– something that I had not done for so long. It was as if all the time I had spent awake as a vampire suddenly caught up to me, and my head nodded and my arms relaxed. I struggled to keep my eyes open, but they were so heavy. I lifted my eyebrows to force my eyes ajar but they were reluctant. If only I could force my eyelashes apart I would be able to open my eyes.

When Jake's grip loosened I realized that we may lose each other here in this drifting nightmare, and the fear forced my eyes to oblige. I shook his hand to wake him up until his grip returned, signaling to me that he was aware again. We looked out for each other in turn, and the bizarre cycle of near sleep and being jolted awake by a panicked hand was making me lose my grip on the situation. I felt delirious for sleep and it was all I could think of. It would be so nice to just close my eyes, just for a second... I drifted off again.

Someone squeezed my hand and the glowing lights began to increase. The blinding orange light was glowing so fiercely now that it began to radiate heat. Hotter and hotter, the temperature soared. It was so blistering that all I could do was close my eyes to protect them from the scalding air, but all desire to sleep had been replaced by an acute awareness of the fiery light that filled around us from all sides. I began to feel a searing pain under the heat, like I was being burnt to a crisp. I screamed out loud, but I heard no voice. I heard nothing at all. It was a vacuum of silence and as I continued my silent scream suddenly we began to spiral downwards and out of control.

We plummeted quickly through the orange sea. We spun and flipped as the space whipped past us. The heat was getting farther and farther away, and the relief that the falling brought was only overshadowed by the thought that we would have to hit bottom soon. The eerie glow changed in seconds from orange to yellow; from yellow to grey, and finally the color cycled back to a murky orange.

We landed with a thud when we hit the bottom. It wasn't pleasant, but it should have been more painful than it was. I realized that my eyes were still shut tight. I opened them slowly, unsure of what to expect when I did. I could make out Jake's silhouette, then Esme's. They were also moving and they seemed to be fine after the fall. I blinked to allow my eyes to adjust to the dimly lit surroundings, and I made out the walls of a strange translucent cavern. The same eerie orange glow came through the ceiling of the cavern, and it looked like there were many layers of ice above and below us. I tried to comprehend how there was a ceiling above us at all, seeing as though we had just fallen from that direction. The wall looked like some type of strange layered ice, but when my fingertips reached out to touch it, it wasn't cold. My body felt normal here; my movements were fluid again and all the heaviness was gone from my limbs.

I put my other hand on the wall, trying to understand where we were, and what it was that I was looking at. The translucent layers of the glowing cave were warm under my palm, and created from a material that I had never seen before. It felt like warm rock, but it looked like ice or crackled glass.

Esme was the first to speak, "Are we between worlds?"

Jake opened his mouth to answer, and before he could respond Kate and Garrett came crashing down on his shoulders. They were there so quickly that I missed where exactly they had fallen from.

"Geez you two," Jake grinned, "I know you were just dying to get up close and personal with a werewolf, but you could have just asked to cuddle." He put his arms around them, and looked genuinely relieved to see them. I turned my head to the side and smiled; only Jake would be able to make me smile at a time like this. Kate hugged him back and looked equally relieved at our presence. Kate shivered for a moment and then she held out her hands and looked at them carefully.

"Garrett, may I?" she asked, holding her hands towards him, palms out. "I will do my best to be very gentle."

Garrett grumbled and put his arm out to her as he agreed to be the guinea pig for her test. He hated getting shocked by her, but it was important to know how her powers would react to this realm.

Kate moved her fingers forwards towards Garrett, and she slowly curled the tips of her fingers. She flicked them quickly, forcing out the electric shock that was her talent. I relaxed when Garrett winced and retracted his hand instinctively. Kate mouthed the word 'sorry' to Garrett, and I interjected, "Try it with me."

I pulled my shield up, and Kate sent her gift furling towards me. I didn't feel the shock, but my mind went soft and hazy for a moment. The shield seemed to work on this plane though - at least we were still in control of our talents.

Esme pointed over to the corner of the glowing cave. The walls parted, and there seemed to be a long tunnel there. All the walls were exactly the same and it was difficult to get any real sense of depth or dimension as we moved towards the hallway.

"Hello?" Jake called tentatively into the glow.

Alice and Jasper came running around a corner that we hadn't seen, and Jasper held his finger to his lips. The urgency in his eyes was more than enough to keep us from talking.

He move close and whispered, "They don't know we're here. Maybe because we managed to stay awake? Or maybe it was the medicine man's secret drink? Whatever the reason, they don't seem to realize that we are here."

"Where are they?" Garrett whispered to Jasper.

Jasper motioned beyond the corner and began walking slowly towards the hallway. I tried my best not to focus too much on the walls because whenever I did I felt slightly light-headed and I had to focus intently to regain my bearings. The glassy surfaces that surrounded us seemed to move slightly when I looked at them, like an optical illusion that strained the eyes to the point of pain. I was blinking quickly so that my stare would not glaze over and be pulled into the mirage walls. I heard Kate whisper that she felt nauseous. I could only assume that the peculiar dizzying effect was a normal one in this bizarre place. Alice answered my unspoken thought when she reached her hand up and pushed her fingers over her eyes. She rubbed her eyes the same way that Edward always did when he was perplexed or worrying about something particularly unpleasant. My thoughts drifted to Edward. _Where was he?_ I remembered the strange voice again.  
_Edward Cullen is with me._

My temper flared as I thought about the female's assertion and about Chief English's comment about _special fathers_. I felt my eyes boil red, as I imagined Edward with another woman, or with _whatever_ she was. The fact still remained that someone was trying to steal my family away from me, and I had endured so much just to have them that I would never back down from these creatures.

I remembered James and Laurent, and how vulnerable I was back then; a teenage girl in the world of vampires. I would never have survived if Edward's love for me was not as profound as it was. He protected me relentlessly, and somehow we always made it through. Edward's love kept me safe when I was bitten, just as it kept me out of harm's way on Island Esme. Because of his passion, and against all odds, we had our wonderful daughter Nessie. He stood by me when I insisted on keeping her, never leaving my side even though the pain in his eyes told me that his heart was breaking to watch me suffer. He was there to give me my new life when my body could no longer go on, and he held my hand as I silently withstood the excruciating pain of my transformation. _It was always Edward_.

I longed to be by his side and in his arms. It felt like we had been apart for months because so much had happened in the past week. My life was spinning violently out of control and I felt so alone without Edward. I was in a half-world that I didn't understand, and the risk that we were taking walking blindly into the unknown left me feeling exposed and vulnerable. Only Edward could make my fears subside. Since the moment that we first returned from Italy there was not a day that we weren't together, and here, in this translucent cavern I felt my isolated heartache take over. Jasper put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me with empathy. "Just breathe Bella," he murmured.

I took a deep breath and my right hand found my wedding band and out of habit I spun it around my finger a few times. I clenched my teeth in determination and vowed to find my husband. I would not let anyone take away everything that we had worked so hard for, and e_verything that Edward had suffered so much for._

I watched Kate as she walked hand in hand with Garrett, and I silently wished that I had her skill, even if it were just for the exact moment that I found the owner of the seductive voice. I was livid, and I wanted to be able to fight this creature rather than simply defend myself from her attacks. I understood with absolute certainty that I would be fighting to keep my husband, and I curled my lips back at the thought.

Jasper's hand guided me forwards towards the corner, and he pointed past the wall and motioned for me to look.

I cautiously poked my head around the corner, just enough to catch a glimpse of the hallway. It was narrower than I thought it would be, and the cathedral ceiling opened up into a large round chamber at the end of the walkway. The walls in the chamber were not the same as the ones outside. They were creamy and textured, and they reminded me of stone colored stucco. The milky walls lost all of their transparency, and the room was much darker than the hallway leading to it. My eyes followed the lines of the arched ceiling up to some sort of skylight that it housed above. The opening allowed a thin shaft of orange light to penetrate the dark room, and it flickered down onto the stone-like floor and highlighted a very large, very lush plant that sat in the middle of the room. It was dark green with thousands of tiny leaves. It seemed so out of place in the stone room. It was far too alive for its setting. Beyond the plant on the other side was another translucent hallway, this one distinctly ending as it approached a large metal door.

I narrowed my eyes to focus in on the dark shapes that were clustered on the floor. There were three of them, each one spaced out in a different portion of the round room. I tried to make out the exact contours of the dark masses, but I couldn't focus on them from this distance.

Jasper motioned for me to be silent, and we slowly crept down the hallway closer to the room.  
I watched the 3 black masses move, breath, and pulsate, but they looked more like dark heaps of blurry velvet than the 3 sisters that I was expecting to find. Even my vampire eyesight couldn't hone in on their exact shapes. The silhouettes were blurred, and inconsistent. I looked around the rest of the room and realized that I saw everything else with crystal clarity. Shifting back to the 3 masses I realized that their shapes were constantly changing; expanding and contracting with each breath. They were softly perched on 3 slabs of a grey marble-like stone, and as we got closer they began to stir, writhing and twisting more freely. We stopped abruptly, and the dark shapes relaxed into their previous modulated rhythm. They appeared to be resting.

We fell back and quickly searched the hallway and cave for another way around their room. We realized in moments that there was no other option but to go through their round chamber and continue through the door in hopes that our families were inside.

We decided that bolting through the room with one long stride would be the best way to pass them undetected. Our lightening passage would arouse the sleeping siblings for a few moments, and we hoped that they would then relax again into the slumber as they done when we approached the room.

Then all eyes went to Jake. We waited in silence and he furled his eyebrows together.

"I'll go last," he muttered, "and I'll wait until you have already passed through that door so that you can keep going," he paused, "in case I'm not quick enough."

"No Jake!" I protested, but I couldn't offer any other solutions. Jake was as fast as we were when he was in wolf form, but he wasn't as agile. His sheer size was the culprit, and he would fill the room with his leap through the air. It would be nearly impossible for Jake to pass through the room in wolf form without hitting the tree-like plant in the middle of the catacomb. He was going to try his stealth instead of his brawn, and slowly slip through the room in human form.

Alice was the most agile of the group and it was decided that she would go first. We hid in the shadows as Alice approached the door. The velvet bodies began to move with more energy, as they stretched into space and pulled themselves back in again. Alice's perfect little frame was crouched, poised like a cat, ready to jump. I held my breath in anticipation. She waited a few moments until the creatures were lulled back to their swaying, and with one accelerated push she jumped through the room and landed soundlessly on the other side. She was crouching and she didn't move a muscle for many seconds. When it seemed like it was safe she motioned for us to join her.

"Go ahead, Bells," Jake urged me on, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

I nodded slowly and I without a word I turned. Slowly and tediously I worked my way to the door. My muscles were tense, sharp even. I crouched to jump and I eyed the sisters one last time before crossing. Their breathing was calm and quiet, and in one movement I soared across the ceiling of the room. My vampire eyes took in the details below as I flashed through the air.

All three creatures were long and thin, and even though they had no definite outlines I could make out their basic shapes from above them. They were willowy, wispy women; graceful even.  
As they breathed their figures morphed, and the dark shroud that covered them moved closer to their bodies as they exhaled.

In slow motion my body ascended, and I looked at the plant below just as I was passing above it.  
Up close, it looked more like a small dense tree. I had thousands of tiny leaves and thousands of even smaller buds. Its interlacing shoots were intricately woven and the roots of the tree spilled over the large pot that it was held in. The roots touched the floor and continued over in 3 separate bunches to spread along the ground to where the women were sleeping. As I taking in the details of the tree I went too close to the skylight and my body made the light beam that was shining below flicker dangerously close to where they were sleeping. The change in light had disturbed them and they began to pulsate energetically.

Jasper stood at the door on the other side and I could tell that he was concentrating hard to keep them peacefully unaware. His trick seemed to work and I motioned at the skylight so that the others would know to avoid it. We were all across on the other side of the room except for Jake. The others stood by the door, waving at me to follow.

I motioned for them to go in without me. I couldn't leave my best friend behind. Jake closed his eyebrows together as he stared at me angrily. His eyes darted to the door and using his eyes he pleaded with me silently to go with the others. I looked back as Kate and Garrett slipped undetected through the metal door. In a blink, they were all gone, and I stood close the door and watched Jake on the other side. He took one nervous step into the chamber.

Again, they stirred, but only for a moment. Jake was like a cougar stalking his prey, and he moved majestically with stealth and preciseness. I relaxed my shoulders and loosened my jaw as he took his third step into the room. His slow movements remained unperceived and it looked like we would all get through that door tonight.

He moved towards the center of the room, and he had one sister on each side of his body. He held his breath and froze for a minute to ensure that it was safe to move again. He calculated his next move carefully. He could go around the large plant on the right, and have to take more steps to get to the hallway where I waited, or he could go around to the left and risk being seen as the left side had more light. He crouched down next to the plant and took his first step towards the safety of the shadows on the far side of the room.

As he did, the roots and vines of the plant began to tremble and shake, and I watched in horror as the tiny buds began to move towards him. They followed his step as if they watching him, and I knew that Jake had not seen the small buds. He was keeping his eyes on the three dark shapes that lined the walls of the chamber.

I wanted to run to him but I couldn't risk waking the sisters. I couldn't shout out to forewarn him. All I could do was stare wide-eyed and silent, and pray that the moving buds would not wake the dwelling creatures within.

Jake took his next step and I witnessed the most horrific and surreal thing that I had ever seen. A large bud moved out from the security of the plant, and it worked its way towards Jake. It stopped for a minute, sensing him from behind. I could see it over Jake's shoulder, but he wouldn't look at me so that I could caution him.  
_Look at me Jake._

The large bud moved side to side, and then stopped still and appeared to be sniffing around Jake's ear.  
Jake sensed the movement and as soon as he recoiled from the bud the thousands of little buds opened up in unison and they began to wail, "Shaaaaape shifter"

The high shrieks reverberated into my ears and the thousand tiny voices hissed and screeched, "Shape shifter."

Jake turned to look at me, his eyes as wide as saucers and his hands on his ears to clock out the piercing screams.

A dark mist began to move over the sister that I could see from my point of view. She seemed to glide out of her resting place and she unfurled and stretched upwards. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a second shape rise up, but they had their backs to me because they were all headed towards Jacob. My mind raced, what could I do? I threw my shield out to him and to my amazement one of the branches from the plant sprung out and pushed my shield to the side. I watched the dark creatures and they hadn't seemed to notice, all eyes were on Jacob.

I opened the metal door as quietly as I could so that I wouldn't draw attention to myself. My first instinct was to get the others; maybe Kate could protect Jake with her electrical shock.  
I opened the door partway, still looking back at Jake in horror and I heard the deep hiss and then the two toned voice echoed through me like an earthquake, "You _dare_ trespass in our domain shape shifter," they voice paused, hissed, and then continued, "Why are you here ?"

He paused briefly, and sputtered out, "Chief English."

A low two toned growl erupted from within the domed room and the voice demanded as it boomed, "Why are you here?" It wounded louder and angrier this time, like it came from a mammoth beast.

Jake crouched down and phased. The black creatures encircled him and he turned from one to other, bearing his teeth as they danced around him. They moved closer and closer, and their wispy limbs began to take the shape of clawed talons. Jake looked wildly at them, and jumped to attack the sister that was closest to him. Her talons ripped through his skin and I heard him whimper though his deep growl. He bit down hard and the blackness evaporated through his teeth only to come together on the other side of the room. The dark body was visibly wounded though, and it moved slower than its partners. It almost seemed to drag one side of its flowing velvet body on the ground. Jake turned to face the three of them as they were all in one area of the room. His eyes darted quickly and he jumped up toward the plant. His instincts told him that a higher vantage point would reward him with the most damage for his attack. As he was leaping into the air the three sisters jumped up to claw at him. Everything twisted in a fur and black blur and I heard Jake's growl echo through the hall. They wailed and the tiny buds followed them, and the noise was almost too much bear. I saw one of the black beasts jump in the air as if to render one last lethal strike. Her claw was held high above her head, and it pounded down into the blur with a force that made the walls shake. I couldn't tell what was going on. My eyes raced back and forth over the movement and I desperately tried to assess Jake's situation. I wanted to run to him, to help him to overcome his attackers. Every cell in my body pushed me towards them, but one small, tiny thought kept me from running into the battle.

_Nessie. I had to find my daughter, and I couldn't be wounded or else I would never be able to save her.  
_

The pain of my own selfishness felt like a slap in the face, but my instincts as a mother were stronger than any others that I had. I would run and get the others, surely we could all take them down.

All of a sudden the blur was gone, and so was Jake.

In horror I waited for a few more seconds, but Jake didn't reappear. He wasn't there, and his body was nowhere to be found. One of the sisters grumbled and began to turn around. I realized that they still hadn't seen me and I quickly slipped through the door as quickly as I could. I had to tell the others what had happened to Jake.

I should have helped him. The magnitude of my self loathing was the premium that I would have to pay for letting my best friend…..go. Where was he? I wondered if I would ever see him again or if he could survive in some strange world all alone. Where would the Korfinnas send him?

The sick feeling in my stomach was well deserved, and I knew it. I began to shake violently and I had to find the others.

My version of the events would go something like this, "The sisters sent Jake to some oblivion while I stood there safely and watched."


End file.
